De Lima says the ‘mass’ in her liver ‘not malignant’

Senator Leila de Lima INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Detained Senator Leila de Lima revealed on Wednesday that a liver mass detected from a checkup last February 15 was “not malignant.”

“I have received the results of my CT-Scan and am very grateful that the impression of a “liver mass” detected from my check-up last February 15 is not malignant. This means that there is no need for an operation,” De Lima said in a statement from her detention at the Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“I thank God for this blessing, and my family, friends and supporters for their prayers and concern. I thank Fr. Robert Reyes for joining us at the Philippine Heart Center. As I said, there is nothing to worry about,” she said .

Last Monday, De Lima underwent a CT scan of the liver at Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City after she was granted a one-day medical furlough by a Muntinlupa court.

READ: De Lima undergoes CT scan of the liver

The senator has been charged and detained for her alleged involvement on illegal drugs when she was still Justice secretary.

De Lima said she would remain focus on her work and would never feign sickness  to get sympathy or free herself from detention.

“Nananatili po akong nakatutok sa pagtupad ng aking tungkulin bilang Senador, habang hinaharap ang mga imbentong kaso laban sa akin ng mapaniil na rehimeng Duterte. Hinding-hindi po ako magpapanggap na may sakit para lang makalaya, at lalo na, para magpaawa. Huwag po kayong maawa sa akin. Maawa po kayo sa bayan,” she aid.

In the same statement, De Lima said the dismissal of cases against drug suspects — Peter Lim, Kerwin and Peter Co — only bolstered her innocence and her belief that the administration’s war on drugs was “fake” and ineffective.

A panel of prosecutors has dismissed the cases against the alleged drug lords but the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group  filed a motion for reconsideration questioning the resolution.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has formed a new panel to look into the case as he ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the first set of prosecutors who dismissed the case against the high-profile drug personalities.

“Tuloy-tuloy po ang aking paglaban, hindi lang sa aking paglaya, kundi sa paglaya ng bayan mula sa kasinungalingan, panlilinlang at pag-abuso sa kapangyarihan ng rehimeng ito. Mananatili po akong naninindigan para sa katotohanan, katarungan at kapakanan ng ating mga mamamayan,” De Lima said. /cbb